Things to know about e-cigarettes, vaping

E-cigarettes deliver nicotine to the lungs by heating a liquid solution that contains nicotine and other chemicals to produce an aerosol that the user inhales, a process often called "vaping."

How do e-cigarettes work?

Most e-cigarettes consist of three different components, including:

A cartridge, which holds a liquid solution containing varying amounts of nicotine, flavorings and other chemicals

Heating device (vaporizer)

Power source, usually a battery

Although they do not produce tobacco smoke, e-cigarettes still contain nicotine and other potentially harmful chemicals.

Users may expose themselves to potentially toxic levels of nicotine when refilling the cartridges. Cartridges could also be filled with substances other than nicotine, thus possibly serving as a new and potentially dangerous way to deliver other drugs.

Gateway to smoking?

Students who have used electronic cigarettes by the time they start ninth grade are more likely than others to start smoking traditional cigarettes and other combustible tobacco products within the next year.

Cigarette smoking remains the leading preventable cause of sickness and mortality, responsible for over 400,000 deaths in the United States each year.